Kaduna speaker declares seat of defectors vacant

Aminu Shagalinku, speaker, Kaduna state house of assembly, has declared vacant, the seats of John Audu Kwaturu, his former deputy and Junaid Yakubu who defected last week from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Kwaturu and Yakubu represent Kachia and Kudan state constituencies.

Declaring their seats vacant on floor of the house, Shagalinku maintained that the defection of the lawmakers was illegal and unconstitutional as there is no any faction or crisis in the APC at the state and national levels.

The speaker said the declaration was in line with the provisions of the constitution.

However Kwaturu, has described the action of the speaker as undemocratic and unconstitutional, vowing to use all legal means to stop it.

He told reporters that he was not at the sitting where the speaker made the declaration, as he arrived house late.

Kwaturu said he got to the assembly late because he was making preparations to hand over the official car of the deputy speaker and other things in his possession since he has resigned from the position.

“I defected from the APC on Friday and I tendered my resignation as the deputy speaker on Tuesday,” he said.

“I arrived the house late because I was sorting the official car and other property of the office of the deputy speaker in my possession to hand over them since I had resigned from the position.

“My defection is in accordance with the provisions of the constitution because the APC is factionalised. We have this one that is called Reformed APC. Many people have defected from the APC as a result of the faction within the party, especially in Kaduna.

“In Kaduna we have three factions of the party, we have APC Akida, Restoration Group and Government House faction and that is the reason for my decamping. I am appealing to well meaning Nigerians to intervene in this matter.

“I have not been officially informed that my seat has been declared vacant, but as soon as I get official communication, I shall go to my people who elected me and we will take appropriate legal and constitutional steps to address the issue.”

Meanwhile, the house has unanimously elected, Nuhu Goro Shadalafiya, former chairman house committee on information, as the new deputy speaker.

Shadalafiya represents Kagarko constituency.